


A Little Queer

by wellthatjusthappend



Series: Merfolk AU [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Dick is a a third culture kid, Multi, Sexual exploration, cross species sex, discussion of Mer courting and mating culture, exploration of culture, ish, mentions of Bruce towards the end in relation to the beginning of the next story, mentions of consensual mutilation, merfolk, mermaid au, prequel of Dick's growing up in the circus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-28
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2019-03-25 00:13:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13822407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wellthatjusthappend/pseuds/wellthatjusthappend
Summary: “I’m not complaining,” Dick said, “I like living with humans.”“You, my child, like humans perhaps a littletoomuch,” his mother teased.“Not you too,” groaned Dick.“There’s nothing wrong with being a little queer,” his mother reassured him with a smile.





	A Little Queer

**Author's Note:**

> I _said_ I would post the next one in Feb. *very purposefully doesn't look at the date*
> 
> So this was supposed to be just a little bit of Dick musing on his childhood before the proper chapter began in the main storyline, but then... it was just too much fun to write about Dick in the circus.

Mer were strange about their mating practices. It wasn’t the first time Dick mused this and it wouldn’t be the last. Human’s also had their fair share of oddities, but Dick had grown mostly accustomed to those. The various types of light touches humans offered each other to signify interest or fondness of another. The embrace of upper limbs to show affection and the count of time that embrace lasted to signify what kind of affection the two shared etc. etc.

In the circus, Dick had learned much about human affection. His parents had also been raised in captivity as had their parents. Their expression of love were a lot closer to human’s than Mer, Dick had eventually come to realize. Further more, Dick had always liked to watch the human’s that came and went. They were delighted when he could copy human behavior and he was rewarded for it. Mr. Halley told Dick that the uncanny behavior of wild Mer tended to frighten humans, that base instinct informed them that this was a predator that might kill them and their young. While a little terror had it’s place in entertainment, he was told, it was much better to amaze and put his audience at ease with displays that would be familiar to them.

So Dick learned to smile brightly without showing his teeth make eye contact for the appropriate amount of time. He waved at the humans who showed interest in his tank and played little games with the delighted children who pressed up against the glass. When he developed enough breath control, he started to pop his head above the surface to start chatting with any of the human’s who passed by. He asked lots of questions and most humans were eager to answer. Halley changed up his stages so that Dick could interact with people better. People were cautious around Dick at first, but once he’d proved that he wouldn’t snap his teeth at anyone or try to pull people into the water then they had been eager to be close to something so sensational.

Soon, Dick was getting try out many of the little touches he’d observed for so long.

For all that he was with people a lot, Dick was pretty lonely. Mer were kept in separate tanks because of their tendency to scar one another up even in play. Scars were alarming to people, Mr. Halley had said. Dick didn’t know why. He’d always thought his mother and father’s mating scars were the most beautiful things he’d ever seen. They were actually pretty modest, his father had told him ruefully, because Mr. Halley wanted to still use them in shows. For his father, who loved to do above water flips and spins on bars, his mother had taken two fingers so that his technique in his beloved work would need to be forever transformed by accepting his mother as a mate. In return, his father had very carefully removed his mother’s ability to hear on one side as well as notching her ear so others would see. She’d explained that this way, when she sang it was like she could feel his father with her in the quiet on that side.

Mr. Halley had been appalled, if not somewhat resigned. This was the general reaction from most humans, but Dick hadn’t been sure why when it was obvious that it was an absolute show of devotion. Dick liked to do flips too so he got it: you wouldn’t want just anyone to mate-mark you. It had to be 1) someone that you absolutely trusted and 2) someone you really really loved enough to endure the pain and inconvenience a mating mark would cause. Dick had very few scars; It was something he often sulked about even though he knew it pleased Mr. Halley. Just a few from times he’d done something truly impressive and his mother or father had looked at him in perfect pride and given him a little bite. Dick liked to trace those scars when he got lonely and remember that they meant he was someone worthy of pride and delight.

As soon as his adult fins started to grow in, the attention Dick got from humans shifted. To humans, he was apparently very beautiful and once he started to display signs of maturity it started to show in how they treated him. This first time he’d been kissed on the mouth was very exciting. He’d gotten kisses on the cheek and forehead before and even given a few himself. Mouth kisses, he’d observed were reserved for desirable people. The girl who kissed him became extremely flustered and quickly ran away. Dick was confused, but quite thrilled.

A little trial and error and one very stern talk from Mr. Halley later, Dick learned never to kiss humans at shows. It was apparently very scandalous behavior because Dick wasn’t human. Many people snuck into his tanks precisely for that taboo though. They were usually girls, mostly because Dick lacked breasts and humans were a little shy about deviating from partners of who looked to be the opposite sex. For a long time is was just lots of kissing in the water and heavy petting. Then girls started to expose their torsos for him.

“You have gorgeous umbilical scar,” Dick told the first one earnestly, “Your parent must truly love you to make such a careful mark when you were born.”

“I’m sitting here shirtless and you’re telling me you think my bellybutton is pretty?” the girl clarified. When Dick had blinked and nodded she’s broke out into a fit of giggle, “God, you are just precious. C’mere.”

They kissed in the shallow water and very heavy petting. The girl explained that human boys made a fuss over girl’s chests so she’s expected a different reaction from him. So the next girl who took off her shirt for him he was very careful to compliment differently.

“Your areola are a lovely color,” Dick smiled, “Is it a difference in diet? I’d love for mine to be half so nice,” he lifted himself out of the water to expose his own chest to her.

She’d snorted so hard it sounded like it hurt.

“I think yours are just fine,” she told him brimming with mirth as she climbed into the water with him.

After that, Dick stuck to general praise of anatomy, which tended to make the girls flush warm and smile brightly.

Then one night the girl he had been kissing pushed back and gave him a wicked smile before pulling off all her clothes. Dick had never seen a human bare between the legs before and he hadn’t realized they would be different than Mer although perhaps he should have. The girl was quite please to teach him all about it and exactly how best to touch her there. It was very educational.

He learned quickly and discovered he quite enjoyed the taste between girls legs and they quite liked to have him there. They gripped him by the hair and sometimes ran sharp nails over his skin. The bright bits of pain had him shivering in his own excitement.

“More human boys should be like you,” a girl one night told him sighing regretfully as she stroked his hair fondly, “If I had boyfriend who went down on me like you then I’d want to have sex all the time.”

“Why don’t you pick one out and tell him to?” asked Dick.

“Oh, you.” She laughed, “It would be nice if it were that simple.”

The impression that Dick was getting was that human boys had weird ideas about sex. From all the things the girls told him, Dick was much better prepared when his first human boy grabbed him for a kiss. It was a rough bloody thing because the boy had been nervous and Dick had bitten his own lip by accident. He loved it though. The boy guided Dick’s hand to his trousers so Dick began rubbing at him the way he would a girl. The boy was a little thrown off but not displeased. Dick was frustrated at first because it seemed like there was this big old lump getting in the way, but then he realized that human genitalia varied quite a bit more than he’d thought. He was rather horrified to realize that males carried their shaft on the outside at all times. Did they not worry about losing in a fight? It seemed like a design flaw to Dick.

“Don’t tell?” The boy had nervously requested after.

“Nobody is going to ask me about this stuff.” Dick assured him.

More boys came after that, but they generally acted like they had something to prove sexually. Sometimes this made things very interesting and exciting, other times Dick found it a little annoying. He thought he probably liked girls a little more because he didn’t have to coax them to talk or cuddle with him. The boys were a bit awkward about that part, for all that they seemed to enjoy it just as much.

On the other hand, the girls rarely got truly rough with him, which Dick found he was craving that more and more. However, the boys that usually wanted to be like that with him were often kind of mean and treated him like a sex object.

“Dick, my boy,” Halley finally approached his tank one day looking troubled.

“Hello Mr. Halley,” Dick smiled brightly.

“Dick, you have to stop with all the sex with humans.” Halley told him awkwardly.

“Why?” Dick asked frowning, “They like it, I like it, and I’m being real careful with them so it’s fine, right?”

“I’m sure you’re being very careful or we would have run into trouble a long time ago,” Halley assured him.

“…are we in trouble now?” asked Dick worriedly.

“Not yet,” Halley sighed deeply, “But we could be if we’re not careful. Most of your… friends don’t exactly go around talking about what they get up to with you. But a few of them have and it’s stirring things up. Since you’re different species the politics get tricky. We’ve made the charges go away for now, but there are some who would call allowing humans to have sex with you animal abuse.”

“I’m not an animal,” Dick said baring his teeth, “I’m a person, and some stranger shouldn’t be the one to decide who I get to have sex with.”

“I agree,” said Halley immediately, “But the rest of the world doesn’t see it that way and unfortunately these kinds of accusations could really end up hurting the circus.”

“The rest of the world is stupid dumb-heads,” Dick pouted.

“Sometimes,” Halley agreed with a slight smile, “I know you’re at that age where sex is a bigger part of your life, so I’m trying to work on finding you a proper Mer.”

“A Mer?” Dick asked curiously.

“It would certainly be much more appropriate for you to have relations within your own species. The circus could certainly use the extra income Mer babies would attract. And who knows? Maybe we can find you someone you’ll want to mate with.” Halley smiled.

Dick thought about it. He did want a mate eventually but he still didn’t see why it couldn’t be a human one. And anyway it wasn’t like needed to be having sex, he just thought it was fun. But maybe a Mer might be more satisfying for him. The idea was intriguing for all that he couldn’t quite picture it. And little hatchlings… he’d really like that. Though his mom and dad had had some pretty serious fertility issues so Dick didn’t know if he even could. After all the years and eggs together, Dick had been the only one to hatch. It’s not like Mer were domesticated enough to have their own line of doctors or anything. Still…

“Yeah, let’s give it a shot,” Dick agreed.

* * *

 

“I don’t like that Halley is trying to breed you for profit like you were another animal in this circus,” his mother fretted, “You’re too young.”

“Mum, if I were living in the wild I would probably already have at least a few successful hatchlings by now,” Dick pointed out.

“But you’re not living in the wild.” His mother said sharply, “If you were, then your life expectancy would be a third of what it is. I love being a Mer, but our people are barbarians sometimes. I think the humans have the right idea of a slower transition from childhood to adulthood beyond physical maturity. You’re much too young for hatchlings.”

“Not that you’re bias or anything,” Dick rolled his eyes and then dodged quickly as his mother snapped her teeth warningly at him.

“Oh hush, you,” she scolded him, “I’m allowed to think human’s have the better way in this; If I had lived in the wild I never would have gotten to keep you near for so long.”

“I’m not complaining,” Dick said, “I like living with humans.”

“You, my child, like humans perhaps a little _too_ much,” his mother teased.

“Not you too,” groaned Dick.

“There’s nothing wrong with it,” his mother quickly reassured him, “It’s unusual for a Mer since humans are so fragile and aren’t really suitable for courtship or true mating. And goodness knows thinking too much about legs or related… bits makes me a little queasy. But certainly it’s not unheard of for a Mer to be a bit… queer. Especially since you’re so young.”

“ _Mum_ ,” Dick groaned swimming away from her testily.

“La, but maybe it will be good for you to play with another Mer. Just don’t worry about hatchlings so early on. Halley told me he’s going to see about setting you up with Raptor, you know. That Mer that tried to court me too way back before they bought your father? He wasn’t really my tastes though: too wild for me. But he’s been living with humans for while now so maybe he’ll be civilized enough that you’ll like him,” his mother said thoughtfully.

“Mum, sometimes I think you and dad are prejudice against other Mer.” Dick teased.

“Perhaps we are,” his mother smiled an old smile, “We have lived among human’s our whole lives. _They_ are our world. It would be quite difficult not to be influenced by their perspective on some things.”

“I suppose,” Dick frowned. He knew he was probably pretty different from most Mer you would find in the wild, but most days he didn’t put much thought to it. Did he like the things he liked because he liked them? Or because human’s had taught him what to value. In a different life, would he even like jumps and hoops and stolen funnel cake and sweet human kisses under the stars? He hoped he would.

“Raptor is quite strong,” his mother continued, “He could probably give you some lovely scars if you asked to play that way. He might not even give you a choice in the matter.”

Dick shivered a little: it was an exciting thought. His mother gave him a knowing smile.

“That day is not today,” she reminded him with a smile, “Now come, I heard they caught us some live food today. Let us go hunt.”

* * *

 

The crane lowered Raptor towards Dick’s tank. Dick could already see that the other Mer was huge, heavily scarred, and old for a Mer. All of those were signs that he was both powerful and cunning to still be alive. Able to provide. But, Dick reminded himself, those things did not truly prove anything since Raptor had been in captivity for many years with food always available when he wanted and no true threats to his life.

Raptor’s eyes had been trained on Dick since the moment he’d come into view.

Dick’s heart was beating very fast. He knew with ever inch of himself that Raptor saw him as prey. If he hadn’t known before that this was going to be very different than his experience with humans, he knew it now. The urge to fight and prove himself was very strong but… even more so was the urge to go hide.

Dick hadn’t given much thought to what would happen if he didn’t like this.

Then Raptor was being released into the water with a mighty splash. There was no more time.

“Um, hi,” Dick waved awkwardly. Raptor tracked the movement with keen attention, “You probably already know, but I’m Dick.”

Raptor’s expression was somewhat thunderous.

“Uh, anyway, I’m kind of new to all this so I was hoping we could take things slow? I could show you around, I’m sure the tanks are different from when you were here last-“

“Stop acting like two-legged vermin,” Raptor ordered with a slight look of disgust, “You are a Mer; Have some pride.”

“Um…” Dick said uncertainly. Then suddenly Raptor was right there in his space. He didn’t think someone so big would be able to move so fast. Dick startled and struck out on instinct with a hiss. Raptor caught his arm easily though this time with a nod of approval.

“So the human’s haven't destroyed all your instincts, that’s good.” Raptor said pulling him closer looking Dick over as he did so. Dick’s tail coiled uncertainly, “You’re a little ugly for your age. You hardly have any scars. You’re lucky I’m your first or other Mer’s would see you as someone undeserving. I know better though: I remember your mother. A little more experience with a proper Mer and some scars and you’re going to be magnificent.”

“I haven’t decided if I want scaring from you or not.” Dick said frowning uncertainly feeling a little embarrassed and self-conscious of his mostly smooth skin and scales.

“You will,” Raptor promised reaching for his throat. Dick felt something wild and furious rise up in him.

“No!” he smacked the bigger Mer with his tail and made him let go so Dick could swim a little ways away. He struggled to put words to the rolling thing inside him, “You don’t get to touch me yet. You’re unproven. You don’t just get to grab me and talk about scaring me.”

“Ah,” Raptor gave him a very _very_ sharp smile, “My mistake young one. I’ve been living with humans so long now that I forgot my mannors.”

 _Swim_ , Dick’s instincts screamed at him and he wasted no time doing so narrowly missing getting caught by the older Mer. Raptor made another pass towards him and Dick had to twist sharply out of the way. He quickly realized that he couldn’t let Raptor grab him again or he was done. The older Mer a lot stronger than him. However, Dick was a lot faster and more flexible and also had the advantage of being a lot more familiar with the terrain. He twisted a turned always staying just out of reach.

It was a _hunt_. It was terrifying, it was exciting, it stroked some deep instinct in Dick and made arousal curl in his stomach. It almost made Dick want Raptor to overpower him despite his best efforts.

 _No_ , Dick’s mind bulked firmly. No matter how pleased some animalistic part of him would be to be savagely taken, most of him would be fairly horrified. Raptor had no interest in _Dick_. Not his pleasure, or anything about him as a person, or even potential hatchlings. He just wanted to conquer Dick and impose his will on him. He wanted to change Dick and hurt him, but not in the good ways. Not in any way a half decent mate would.

 _Unworthy_. Dick felt his face screw up in a real snarl. And yet Raptor was undoubtedly stronger than him. In traditional Mer culture, he would have temporary rights to Dick body as the victor once this dance was over.

 _But we’re not in the wild,_ Dick thought fiercely, _I get to choose no._

With that thought in mind he broke away and dashed to the surface flipping himself out of the water and onto his rings and then using the swing of his momentum to throw himself onto the high platform they had for shows. There was a spigot up there for him and he quickly turned it on and ducked his head under it to try and catch his breath. Raptor was swimming back and forth beneath him as near to the platform as he could get. Dick wondered if he’d try jumping. He hoped he did: this platform was at the wrong angle for such things and Raptor would end up on land if he tried.

“Get him out of my tank!” Dick yelled down at a startled worker. Dick didn’t recognize him so he must be a temp hired to transport Raptor.

“B-but- I can’t. I’m not allowed- He’s supposed to stay here till tomorrow.” The worker said weakly.

“Then get me to one of my parents tanks.” Dick ordered, “He’ll get me if I go anywhere near the water right now.”

“R-right!” The worker said scrambling. He ran back with one of the wide, shallow tanks on a cart. Perfect, “Um, I’m not sure how we’re supposed to get you down from there…”

“I’ve gotcha,” Dick said with a brilliant smile as he turned off the water. He grabbed on the rungs the humans had installed to get up to the platform and tipped of the side of the platform. The weight on his arms was intense and immediate, but Dick had done this before. If he swung and curled his tail with the same rhythm he was climbing then it became one continuous motion that took the strain off his arms a bit aided in his decent and balance.

“Ok, I could use a little help,” Dick said when he reached the ground keeping a wary eye on the water. He was far _enough_ away from the edge that Raptor shouldn’t be able to reach him, but Dick trusted the old Mer about as far as he could throw him and, well, considering how big the Mer was Dick probably couldn’t throw him at all.

“Um, ok.” The man was clearly nervous but he pulled the cart as close as he could get it and uncertainly tried to lift Dick. Laughing at the human’s foolishness- no way could lift Dick, an exceptionally strong man could probably only drag him at best- Dick used the human a slight leverage point to grab onto the edge of the tank and swing himself up and over. He sank to the bottom a took several long grateful breaths. Then he popped his head over the side.

“My parent’s tank is over that way,” Dick pointed as the worker picked himself off the ground. He was staring at Dick wide-eyed.

“I- alright,” he said and shuffled over to the seat of the cart and started to drive it towards the other tanks. Dick glanced back at his pool and saw Raptor there lurking with his eyes just above the water glowering at him.

Dick stuck his tongue out at him like he’d seen some of the human children do. Raptor obviously had too because he made a face of disgust and ducked back under the water.

“Here we are,” the worker said pulling up. Dick scanned the water, but since his father didn’t break the surface to greet him he must be visiting with his mother. Dick pulled the lever on the little tank that would let him spill out onto the sloping pseudo-beach they had installed for this tank.

“Thank you,” Dick smiled and grabbed the hand of the worker as he knelt down to pick up the hatch and pulled him into a slow thank-you kiss that Dick had learned made most human’s figuratively melt in his arms. This one did not disappoint. Dick pulled away and the human made a soft little sound. Dick smiled, “you really saved me back there.”

“I didn’t do nothing,” mumbled the guy, cheeks flushed crimson.

“Nonsense,” Dick told him, “I would have hated to spend the night on that ledge. There’s not nearly enough water up there I would have totally dried out. And let me tell you, I’ve had that happen before and it is not-”

“You’re beautiful.” The guy blurted, then flushed, “I mean-“

“Yes?” grinned Dick.

“I’ve never seen one of your kind move like you do. They all usually flop around like a beached whale the moment you get them on land you know, but you… you’re almost prettier out of the water then you are in it.” The guy tried to explain.

“Well most Mer rely primarily on their tail strength. Out of the water though you have to use your upper body a lot more. Most Mer can never get the hang of it. I’ve had lots of practice though.” Dick said a little proudly.

“The other fellas were talking about you,” the guy confessed, “They were saying they wanted to see you get nailed by the big guy.”

“Well, there’s savages in every species,” Dick snorted. If he had liked Raptor at all he wouldn’t have minded: he’d been raised on the principle that everything was always better with an audience.

“I’ve never been this close to a Mermaid before.” The guy confided nervously as he helped Dick into the water. The trainers always warned us that Mermaids will always go for a killing move even is you were just trying to help them.”

“Most wild Mer will,” Dick agreed deciding not to correct the ‘Mermaid’ part, “They can be pretty prideful.”

“But not you.” The guy said searching his face. Dick gave him a smile without teeth.

“I can be proud, but I like to think I’m a little more cultured.” Dick said thinking disdainfully about Raptor.

“I heard-“ the guy swallowed and turned a darker shade of red, “I heard you’re the one that lies with humans. You seduce them with that voice of yours…”

“Nah, that’s a siren you’re thinking of. Different beast, and rather melodramatic I’ve heard.” Dick laughed ducking under water before lifting himself back up to get right in the guys face, “Now me? I like to think I get by with my dashing good looks.”

“Ah,” the guy said and Dick recognized the hungry gleam in his eyes. Well, Dick supposed he had been planning on fucking the afternoon away anyhow.

“And what about you?” Dick asked, “Do my looks do it for you? Want to ravish me on this beach?”

“Um! If that’s what you’d like.” The guy said.

So courteous. Dick smiled and stole another kiss. He really did prefer humans.

* * *

 

Dick clung to the shoulders of the human weakly as all around him the circus burned. He couldn’t breathe and the heat from the fire had drained even the moister from the air. Everything hurt.

“Come on,” the human muttered under his breath draping Dick partially into one of the concession tubs. Dick tried to make sense of the blurred features. Black hair, blue eyes, strange pointed cowl pulled back from his face.

The strange warrior had fought off the men that had attacked the circus and gotten most of the people and animals to safety. He was strong, powerful, clever, brave, and obviously kind.

 _Worthy,_ both his instincts and his mind told him, _Also really not the time to be noticing that_.

“I’m going to get you out of here,” the man promised in a low growl, “just hold on.”

_Worthy._

**Author's Note:**

> I debated about having that last boy be one of the Titans, but I'll let you use your imagination of who it was instead. 
> 
> Dick really is stuck between cultures. He's very lucky he and Bruce found each other. He could probably go for another Mer if they were also a bit queer-for-humans like Jason is, but Bruce really does suit him. Doesn't mean Dick is in any less of a frustrating position sometimes though. 
> 
> More fun with that in the next story!


End file.
